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The

Norfolk Sail Project

USS_Norfolk_SSN-714_Crest.png

USS Norfolk (SSN-714), a Los Angeles-class attack submarine, was the 3rd ship of the United States Navy to be named for Norfolk, Virginia.

History

The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 20 February 1976 and her keel was laid down on 1 August 1979. She was launched on 31 October 1981 sponsored by Mrs. Caspar Weinberger, and commissioned on 21 May 1983, with Commander Kenneth R. Karr in command.

With the second Commanding Officer, Alfred Ponessa, Norfolk conducted extensive trials of the next-generation torpedo, ADCAP, as well as advanced and secret acoustic experiments. The ship also made an active deployment during one of the final spurts of activity from the declining Soviet navy. Later, on 23 July 1988 Norfolk fired the first ADCAP torpedo, sinking the ex-USS Jonas Ingram. Commander Ponessa was succeeded by Commander Harrop in 1988.   In 1999 the USS NORFOLK (SSN 714) was the first submarine inducted in the Submarine Hall of Fame at the Submarine Learning Facility in Norfolk VA.

Norfolk was decommissioned on 11 December 2014 at her homeport of Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia.

Name:Norfolk

Namesake:Norfolk, Virginia

Awarded:20 February 1976

Builder:Newport News Shipbuilding

Laid down:1 August 1979

Launched:31 October 1981

Sponsored by:Mrs. Caspar Weinberger

Commissioned:21 May 1983

Decommissioned:11 December 2014

Homeport: Norfolk, Virginia

Motto:

  • Vi per Concordiam

  • (Latin: "Strength through Unity")

1280px-USS_Norfolk_(SSN-714)_Arabian_Sha

The Arabian Shark

Class and type: Los Angeles-class submarine

Displacement: 5,751 tons light, 6,126 tons full, 

Length: 110.3 m (361 ft 11 in)

Beam: 10 m (32 ft 10 in)

Draft: 9.7 m (31 ft 10 in)

Propulsion: S6G nuclear reactor

Complement: 12 officers, 98 enlisted

Armament: 4 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes

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